Loom harness



Jan. 9, 1968 F. H. KAUFMANN 3,362,437

LOOM HARNESS Filed Nov. 29, 1965 uwzwr'on FRANK h. m U/MA IVA/ ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,362,437 LOOM HARNESS Frank H. Kaufmann,Huntingdon Valley, Pa., assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 29, 1965,Ser. No. 510,345 6 Claims. (Cl. 139-92) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREHeddle frame for looms having the heddle supporting rods extending attheir ends into the side struts of the frame, the heddle rods beingslidably mounted intermediate their ends for sidewise insertion andremoval with locking pins preventing sidewise displacement, the heddlesbeing freely movable on the heddle rods to the side struts.

This invention relates to heddle frames for looms and it relates moreparticularly to improved means for securing and supporting the ends ofthe heddle supporting rods in the frames.

Various means for supporting and securing the ends of heddle supportingrods have heretofore been suggested, and many of these have been foundto be satisfactory under certain conditions, and in connection withcertain types of frames.

The means heretofore employed for securing and supporting the ends ofthe heddle supporting rods in the frames, in many instances, reduced theavailable space between the side struts for the reception of the heddlesso that full utilization of the width of the heddle frame was notpossible. In other instances difliculties were encountered inmanipulating the securing and supporting structure for insertion andremoval of the heddle supporting rods while still retaining freedom ofmovement of the heddles from one side to the other of the heddle frame.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide, in loomheddle frames, improved means for supporting and securing the ends ofthe rods upon which the heddles are mounted and with which the fullwidth of the harness frame can be effectively utilized.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a heddleframe with meansfor supporting the ends of the heddle supporting rodswhereby the ends of said rods may be quickly and easily detached at theends thereof for the purpose of adding or removing heddles on the rods,and which requires only a simple manipulation of the heddle supportingrod for locking or unlocking It is a further object of the presentinvention to provide a heddle frame with the heddle supporting bars freerom obstructions at the ends thereof so that free movement of theheddles along the heddle bars can be effected over the entire lengths ofthe heddle bars, and which can be utilized in heddle frames having pairsof heddle supporting rods at their upper and at their lower ends.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a heddleframe with the heddle supporting bars free from obstructions at the endsthereof and with additional space for freedom of movement of the Warpcarrying eyes of the heddles on the heddle bars while providing ease ofinsertion and removal of the heddle supporting bars.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a heddleframe in which each of the heddle supporting bars has an improvedresilient lock utilizing the resilience of the heddle supporting barsfor this purpose.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will beapparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic feature of the present invention will bemore readily understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a loom harness frame having therein meansembodying the main features of the present invention for supporting andsecuring the ends of the heddle supporting rods;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, enlarged, takenapproximately on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view as taken from the opposite sidefrom that of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows in an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view oneembodiment of the invention as applied to a pair of heddle supportingrods; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing another embodiment of theinvention as applied to a pair of heddle supporting rods.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawingsherein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications andchanges can be made in the structure disclosed without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, there is therein shown a preferred form ofembodiment of the invention, in which the heddle frame proper comprisestop and bottom rails 10 connected at their ends by struts 11. The topand bottom rails 10 are preferably made of hollow extruded shapes ofaluminum or magnesium alloys, with an inwardly extending longitudinallydisposed flange portion 12.

The struts 11 can be of any desired construction and of any preferredmaterial but as shown are preferably of compressed wood, with cut outs13 at each end to provide extended central lengths 14 of the struts 11of lesser width than the ends, thereby to add to the available interiorspace therebetween.

The struts 11 can be secured to the top and bottom rails 10 in anydesired manner, such as by screws 15.

The struts 11 at spaced locations and at predetermined locations aboveand below the lower margins of the flange portions 12 have alignedopenings 16 for the reception of the ends of heddle supporting rods 17.The rods 17 preferably each has a longitudinal groove 18 along one facethereof and are capable of being resiliently bent or sprung, ashereinafter pointed out, without permanent distortion.

The rods 17 have slidably mounted thereon heddles 19 of any desiredtype, but preferably like those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of Patent No.2,047,511, and with warp eyes 20 intermediate their ends.

The flange portion 12 inwardly of one end of the top and bottom rails 10have at one or more predetermined locations therealong key blocks 21preferably T-shaped in vertical cross section secured by rivets 22 tothe flange portion 12 and with head portions 23 and reduced shankportions 24. The thickness of the head portions 23 is preferably thesame as or slightly less than the depth of the grooves 18 so that thehead portions 23 do not obstruct the free movement of the heddles 19from end to end on the heddle rods 17.

The heddle rods 17, at predetermined spaced locations, have horizontalkey hole slots 25 with enlarged portions 26 to permit of the passage ofthe head portions 23 and portions 27 for the reception of the shankportions 24 with the head portions 23 preventing displacement of therods 17 out of the main plane of the heddle frame.

In order to retain the heddle rods 17 from longitudinal movement whiletheir ends are in the openings 16 in the struts 11 each heddle rod 17has at a predetermined distance from one end a locking aperture 28 withwhich a pin 29 carried by the flange portion 12 is in engagement. Thepin 29 preferably has an enlargement or collar 30 providing a shoulderwhich holds the rod 17 in spaced 3 relation from the flange portion 12thereby obviating any binding of the heddles 19.

When it is desired to remove a heddle rod 17 for mounting of heddles 19thereon or for removing heddles 19 therefrom, the heddle rod 17 at thepin 29 is flexed or sprung so as to be clear of the pin 29. The heddlerod 17 can then be initially moved longitudinally to bring the enlargedportions 26 to the head portions 27, thus permitting separation of theheddle rod 17 from its retention by the key blocks 21 and completeremoval, the heddle rods 17 being slidable in the openings 16 for thispurpose. The heddle rod 17 can be inserted by a reversal of theoperation just described.

In FIG. 4 the invention is shown applied to a heddle frame similar tothat described above but having a longitudinally disposed flange portion12 with heddle rods 17 along both sides thereof each with a lockingaperture '28. The pin 29a is mounted on the flange portion 12 and has anenlargement or collar portion 30a providing shoulders on both sides ofthe flange portion 12 to hold the heddle rods 17 as before.

In FIG. 5, the pin 29b is shown as of substantially uniform diameter andaccordingly does not limit the inward horizontal movement of the heddlerods 17 with respect to the flanged portions 12 in the same manner as dothe pins 29 and 29a.

It will be noted that the heddle rods 17 are held against longitudinalmovement with their ends in the openings 16 and with free movementpermitted of the ends of the heddles 19 along the heddle rods 17. Thewarp eyes 20 by reason of the formation of the side struts 11 have evengreater freedom of sidewise movement.

By the foregoing arrangement there is provided a simple but effectivemounting for the heddle rods 17 with freedom of movement of the heddles19 and increased capacity both at the ends and at the warp eyes. Theinsertion and removal of the heddle rods 17 may be readily effected, bya simple manipulation while during use the heddle rods 17 are adequatelysupported and held against displacement.

I claim: 1. In a heddle frame having horizontal top and bottom railsconnected by vertical side struts with horizontal openings in the sidestruts for the reception of the ends of longitudinally extending heddlerods upon which the heddles are mounted,

means for supporting at least one of said heddle rods with its endsdisposed in said openings, and,

means spaced from said supporting means for retaining said heddle rodagainst longitudinal axial movement in either direction,

said last means comprising a horizontally extending pin at a fixedlocation on a portion of said one of said rails inwardly of the endsthereof,

said heddle rod at a predetermined location from its end having acom-plemental locking complemental aperture into which said pin extends,

said pin and said aperture holding said heddle rod permitting release ofsaid heddle rod for longitudinal movement with respect to saidsupporting means upon horizontal flexing of said rod to free the rodfrom engagement with said pin.

2. A heddle frame as defined in claim 1 in which said pin has inwardlyof the end thereof a shoulder thereon engaging said rod and limitinglateral horizontal movement thereof toward said portion of said rail.

3. A heddle frame as defined in claim 1 in which an additional heddlesupporting rod is provided parallel to said rod,

said additional heddle supporting rod is supported by said supportingmeans, and

said additional rod is provided with a complemental locking aperture forengagement with said pin.

4. A heddle frame as defined in claim 3 in which said pin has at leastone shoulder thereon for limiting lateral horizontal heddle rod movementtoward said portion of said rail.

5. A heddle frame as defined in claim 1 in which said supporting meansincludes interengaging members on one of said rails and the contiguousheddle rod limiting the lateral and vertical movement of said heddlerod.

6. A heddle frame as defined in claim 5 in Which one of said lastmembers has an enlarged head portion and a shank portion, and

the other of said members has a slot with an enlargement through whichsaid head portion is movable and another port-ion in which said shankportion is disposed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,608,216 8/1952 Kaufmann 139-922,614,586 10/1952 Kaufmann 13992 2,619,991 12/1952 Kaufmann 139-922,700,399 1/ 1955 Pfarrwaller 139-92 3,071,164 1/1963 Nussbaum 139923,151,634 10/1964 Kaufmann 13992 3,221,776 12/1965 Wagner 13992 FOREIGNPATENTS 331,474 9/ 1958 Switzerland. 517,671 1/ 1940 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

J. KEE CHI, Assistant Examiner.

